Corporation stop and tool



July l 1941 F. H. MUELLER ETAL. 2,247,427

CORPORATION STOP AND TOOL Filed Oct. 15, 1958 @E w I y Patented July l,1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l l oonroae'rrou s'roP AND TooL FrankH. Mueller, Walter J. Bowan, and Elmer H. Fawley, Decatur, Ill.,assignors to Mueller Co., Decatur, Ill., a corporation of IllinoisApplication October 15, 1938, Serial No. 235,246 t Claims.

This invention relates to a tool for use in 'turning to or from positionbodies such. as corporation stops and the like.

The usual corporation stop comprises a body, which houses a valve, andoppositely projecting threaded nipples of which one is intended to bethreaded into an aperture in a main and the other to receive Vacoupling. In common practice, for the purpose of inserting a stop, atool is applied to the coupling nipple, the tool having a threadedsocket in which the nipple is fully engaged. Since considerable torqueis required in turning the stop home, the coupling nipple becomes jammedin the socket with the result that the stop will sometimes follow thetool when it is sought to remove the latter, and, moreover, the couplingnipple itself vmay become injured.

It is an object of this .invention to overcome these objectionablefeatures of prior usage by providing means on the .tool for positivelytransmitting rotation of the latter to the stop body independently ofthe coupling nipple. This torque transmission occurs in the absence offull engagement of the nipple in the socket, and, consequently, the toolmay be readily removed with no danger of the stop following it and thedanger of injury to the nipple is eliminated.

The invention also relates to an improved form of stop body wherebysuperior cooperation with an inserting tool of the general type hereincontemplated, and particularly with the specictool to be hereinafterdescribed, is secured.

Preferred embodiments. of the new stop and tool are shown in theaccompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the stop with the tool operatively appliedthereto for an inserting operation. A portion of a main is. shown incross section;

Figure 2 is a section substantially on line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section of the tool on line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section substantially on the line li-v-II of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the tool; and

Figure 6 is an elevation of a portion of the tool.

Referring to the drawing, the stop is `generally indicated at Ii) andthe tool at II. The stop comprises a body I2 in which a plug I3 isrotatable for the control of ow through the stop. A threaded nipple I4projects from one end of the body and is intended to be engaged in athreaded. opening as at I5 in a main I6. Coaxial with nipple I4 is athreaded coupling nipple` I1..

Immediately at the base of the nipple 'I l, the body has a polygonal,preferably squared., portion I8 having faces of substantial axialextent.

The `tool II comprises a shank I 9 which is ordinarily of tapered form,.is axially grooved as at 20', and may be otherwise equipped forengagement in the socket of the usual boring bar.

Coaxial with the shank portion and, as here shown, integral therewith,is a cylindrical head 20 which includes a reduced cylindrical end'extension ZI, and formed in the head is an axially threaded socket 22which desirably has a depth greater than the length of the nipple I1..The head is provided with diametrically opposite axially extendinggrooves 23 and 24 which are open toward the shank, but which have walls2-5 and 26, respectively, at their other ends.

Slidable on the head 20 is an annular member 21 which is desirablyexternally knurled. Member '2l includes an inwardly projecting harige 28which is slidable on extension 2|. Said member is also provided withdiametrically opposite axially extending grooves 29 and 30 in the endsof which, opposite ange 28, are secured blocks or splines 3| and t2 bymeans of screws 33 and 34, these splines substantially filling thegrooves cross-sectionally and serving the dual function of preventingrotation of member 21 relative to head 25 and of limiting slidingmovement ofthe former relative to the latter in the opposite dlrectionfrom the shank by abutment of the stops with the end walls 25 and 26.Sliding movement of member 27 relative to head 20 in the other directionis limitedby the engagement of flange 2B with a shoulder 35 at the innerend of extension 2i.

Desirably, although not necessarily, yieldable means is interposedbetween flange 28 and head 20 so that the parts are normally yieldinglyheld in the expanded relation shown in Figures l to 3. For this purpose,compression springs 36 and '31 may be disposed in diametrically oppositeaxially extending bores 38 and 39 in head 20, bearing at one end againstthe blind ends of these bores and at the other end against flange 28through the intermediary of pins 4i] and 4I. The outer ends of thesprings bear against the heads ofv the pins and the Shanks of thelatter, which extend into bores 38 and 39 at all times, prevent bucklingof the spring portions which are outside of the bores.

On its end surface remote from shank I9, member 21 is provided with oneor more abutments projecting therefromin the opposite direction from theshank. As here shown, two

abutments 42 and 43 formed integral with the head are provided. Theseabutments are diametrically opposite each other and have parallelopposed faces 44 and 45 symmetrical to the tool axis and spaced apart adistance somewhat greater than the length of a side of the squared bodyportion I8. The trailing portions of abutments or lugs 42 and 43 arebeveled to provide cam surfaces 46 and 41 which merge into the normalplane of the outer face of member 21. In the normal expanded relation ofparts, the lugs 42 and 43 project substantially wholly beyond the outerend of extension 2 I. When member 21 is moved relative to head 20 towardshank I9, flange 28 will eventually abut shoulder 35 as 'abovementioned, and in this relation of parts,

the outer extremities of lugs 42 and 43 are preferably substantiallyflush with the outer end of extension 2I. g

In applying the tool to the stop, member 21 is manually moved fto thelast mentioned relation and held While socket 22 is threaded on nippleI1. Before the nipple has become fully engaged in the socket, member 21is released so that lugs 42 and 43 are projected toward the stop body,and if the tool and stop are in a proper angular relation, the lugsW'ill take an overlying relation to opposite faces of the squaredportion I8, and will engage these faces, or the corner portions thereof,to impart 'rotation of the tool to the stop inV the threading direction.The stop is thus positively driven Without any jamming of nipple I1 insocket 22.

When the stop has been screwed home, the tool is reversely rotated, camsurfaces 46 and 41 riding over the corners of the squared portion andfreeing the lugs so that the tool is readily removable.

It will be understood that in a tool designed for removing stops, thelugs will be-re'versed. Consequently, in applying the tool, the lugswill ride over the corners of the squared portion due to the provisionof the cam surfaces as at 46 and 41. When the tool has been suicientlyapplied, reverse rotation will cause the lugs to positively engageopposite faces of squared portion I8 so j that the stop will be forcedto rota'te with the tool.

It will be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the specicembodiments of the tool and plug herein disclosed, since variations inform and arrangement are possible without departure from the invention.Moreover, we wish to make it clear that the new tool is not limited touse with the new form of stop herein disclosed, and vice versa, althoughthe two cooperate in the most eiective manner and consequently aredesirably used together.

We claim.:

l. A tool for use in turning a corporation stop, said stop including abody and threaded nipples projecting from opposite ends of said body,said body having a squared portion at the base of one of said nipples,said tool comprising a shank portionand a head portion at one end of theshank portion having a threaded socket therein coaxial with said shankportion and engageable with said one of said nipples, a memiberemibracing said head portion and reciprocable relativej thereto on theaxis of said shank portion between limit positions, means preventingrotation of said head portion and member relative to .each other, and anabutment projecting from said member in the opposite direction fromsaidV shank portion and beyond said head portion when Cil said member isat its limit of reciprocaton remote from said shank portion, saidabutment being engageable with a face of said squared portion totransmit rotation of the tool to the stop in one direction while saidone of said nipples is less than fully engaged in said socket, saidabutment having a cam surface engaging the edge of said face uponreverse rotation of said tool relative to said stop whereby to free theabutment and permit continued reverse rotation of the tool.

2. A tool for use in turning a corporation stop,

' said stop including a body and threaded nipples projecting fromopposite ends of said body, said body having a squared portion at thebase of one of said nipples, said tool comprising a shank p0rtion and ahead portion at one end of the shank portion having'a threaded sockettherein coaxial with said shank portion and engageable with said one ofsaid nipples, a member embracing said head portion and reciprocablerelative thereto on the aXis of said shank portion between limitpositions, means preventing rotation of said head portion and memberrelative to each other, and abutments projecting fromdiametrically'opposite points of said member in the opposite directionfrom said shank portion and beyond said head portions when said memberis at its limit of reciprocation remote from said shank portion, saidabutments being engageable with opposite faces of said squared portionto transmit rotation of the tool to the stop while said one of saidnipples is less than fully engaged in said socket, said abutments havingcam surfaces engaging the edges of said faces upon reverse rotation ofsaid tool relative to said stop whereby to free the abutments and permitcontinued reverse rotation of the tool.

3. A tool for use in turning a corporation stop, said stop including abody and threaded nipples projecting from opposite ends of said body,said tool'comprising a shank portion and a cylindrical head portion atone end of said shank portion coaxial with the latter, said head portionhavinga coaxial threaded socket therein engageable with one of saidnipples, an annular member slidable on said head portion, an axiallyextending groove in said head portion having an end wall, a spline xedto said member and engaged in said groove whereby to limit relativesliding movement in one direction and to prevent relative rotation ofsaid member and head portion, means limiting relative sliding movementin the other direction, said head portion being provided with springpockets, compression springs in said pockets and acting to urge saidannular member to its limit away from said shank portion, and 'anabutment projecting from said member in the opposite direction from saidshank portion and beyond said head portion when said member is at itslimit of reciprocation remote from said shank portion, said abut mentbeing engageable with a portion of said stop to transmit rotation of thetool to the stop while said one of said nipples is less than fullyengaged in said socket, said abutment having a Cam'surface engaging theedge of said face upon reverse rotation of said tool relative to` saidstop whereby .to free the abutment and permit continued reverse rotationof the tool.

4. A tool for use in turning a corporation stop, said stop including abody and threaded nipples projecting from opposite Yends of said body,said body having a squared portion at the base of one of said nipples,said tool comprising a shank portion having' a threaded socket thereincoaxial with said shank portion and engageable with said one of saidnipples, a member embracing said head portion and reciprocable relativethereto on the axis of said shank portion between limit positions,ineans preventing rotation of said head portion and member relative toeach other, and abutments projecting from diametrically opposite pointsof said member in the opposite direction from said shank portion andbeyond said head portions when said member is at its limit ofreciprocation remote from said shank portion, said abutments havingopposed parallel side faces spaced apart so as to lie along oppositefaces of said squared portion to engage the same to transmit rotation ofthe tool to the stop While said one of said nipples is less than fullyengaged in said socket, said abutments having inclined end facesengaging the end edges of the faces of said squared portion upon reverserotation of said tool relative to said stop whereby to free theabutments and permit continued reverse rotation of the tool.

5. A tool for use in turning corporation stops, said stops including abody and threaded nipples projecting from opposite ends of said body,said body including a side portion adjacent one of said nipples facedoppositely to the threading direction of the latter, said toolcomprising a shank portion and a head portion at one end of the shankportion having a threaded socket therein coaxial with said shank portionand engageable'with said one of said nipples, and a retractible abutmentrectilinearly reciprocable in the axial direction of the tool andprojectable beyond the head portion in the opposite direction from saidshank portion; said abutment being maintainable in retracted relation sothat its leading edge will clear said side portion as the socket isthreaded on said one of said nipples and being then projectable so thatits leading edge will rmly engage said side portion as threading of thesocket on said one of said nipples continues and prior to such fullreception of said one of said nipples in said socket as would causejamming, whereby to positively transmit rotation of the tool of the stopin the inserting direction of the latter; said abutment due to itsretractibility riding over any body portion encountered by it uponreverse rotation of the tool relative to the stop so that the tool isreadily removable from the stop.

FRANK I-I. MUELLER. WALTER J. BOWAN. ELMER H. FAWLEY.

